Working Towards Putting an End to Bullying

Bullying among children and teens has been a prominent issue in schools and neighborhoods for decades but not fully understood or recognized as a critical issue until more recent years. Bullying is a growing problem in the U.S. that has escalated, in some cases, to severe forms of harassment. There are many negative effects of bullying on all involved. This malicious act can cause feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem in victims, as well as other mental and physical outcomes. More and more frequently, there are reports in the media of violent retaliations or suicides as a result of bullying.

Bullying includes physical intimidation and aggression, verbal abuse such as name calling and teasing, and social or emotional abuse such as spreading rumors or ostracizing someone. With the rapid advancement of technology, cyberbullying is a more modern form of harassment that has become more common in recent years. The use of technology and digital devices to intimidate and threaten others has brought this nationwide problem to a whole new level: Bullying can now happen anywhere, at any time and is no longer confined to the school yard. In fact, 43% of teens have reported that they have been victims of cyberbullying in the last year, according to the National Crime Prevention Council.

How do you know if your child is being bullied?

There are several signs that a parent can look for which may indicate bullying:

Unexplainable injuries or lost/damaged belongings

Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares

Complaints of physical ailments such as headaches or stomach aches

Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school

October is recognized as National Bullying Prevention Month to raise awareness of this issue, and Wednesday, October 22nd is being promoted as Unity Day 2014. Help spread the message that everyone should take an active role in bullying prevention to make our schools, neighborhoods, and communities safer places to live, learn, and work.

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4 thoughts on “Working Towards Putting an End to Bullying”

Childhood bullying shows a great impact in the future of the children. Talk to your child and confirm whether it was bullying or some other thing and make it confirm. Understand the feelings of your child. Be patient and realistic.